Greenbrier: The Old White Course
Settled in the heart of White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia just across the Virginia border sits the Greenbrier Resort. Known as America's Resort, it is owned by current West Virginia Governor and billionaire Jim Justice. We were there a few weeks before Christmas and it was a site to behold. It is a massive resort and they decorate on a whole different level for the Christmas season. On the day we checked in the front desk mentioned over a thousand people checked in on that specific day. It is a resort where there are no shortage of things to do. You can shop, go to the casino, bowl, ice skate or watch a movie in their theatre. That is just scratching the surface. The Greenbrier is famous for their interior decorating as well as their underground bunker that was built during the Cold War Era intended to house all of Congress in event of nuclear fallout from an attack on Washington, DC. The bunker was eventually exposed by a journalist and decommissioned. A bunker tour is a must do activity when at The Greenbrier.
View of the entrance to the Greenbrier; most visitors at the Greenbrier in December are not seeking out golf
A trip to The Greenbrier would not be complete without a round of golf. The Greenbrier is home to three full courses The Old White Course, The Greenbrier, and The Meadows and a nine hole short course. The golf courses carry lush history. In 1979 The Greenbrier was a host of The Ryder Cup which was the first time the United States competed against continental Europe in the event. It had a long standing run with an annual PGA tour event known as the Greenbrier Classic which was recently canceled in 2020. Golf legend Sam Snead was the Pro from 1946 to 1974 and the resort pays tribute to Snead throughout the property and has several restaurants named after the golfer. Snead's 82 victories on the PGA tour are the most of all time.
The Greenbrier pays tribute to golf legend Sam Snead throughout the resort
The golf courses sit in a large valley surrounded by The Allegheny Mountain range. In 2016 a historic flood put the entire golf course layout completely under water. The Greenbrier Classic was scheduled to be played just two weeks later and was immediately canceled. The flood levels were historic in that they had not seen that amount of rain in over 100 years. The courses took many months to renovate before re-opening.
We were there in December which meant there was only one course open to play, The Old White. The Old White course was opened in 1914 and the first course on the property. It has hosted many tournaments through it's history and it comes in at number three in the state of West Virginia on one of my favorite websites www.top100courses.com. December greens fee rate is $175. During peak season, tee time plus caddy fees will put you over $600.
The Old White is a par 70 with only two par fives on the course and none on the front nine. I could not remember the last time I played a full 18 hole course with no sight of a par five on a nine hole stretch. From the black tees, it plays 7,292 yards.
The course had a great visual feel and comfort for the entire round. For early December and being in the West Virginia mountains, I thought it was in incredible shape. The area had experienced a fair amount of rain in recent days, and while the course was wet, I found it very playable. The views are pristine. The entire course is set in a valley and most shots on the course come with a view of The Allegheny Mountains in the background. The fairways were lush, especially for the time of year, and the greens while not fast, rolled true for the wintery conditions. While peak season costs may run you similar to a round at Pebble Beach, I had a greater appreciation after this winter day of not only The Old White course but the long and stoired history of America’s Resot, The Greenbrier.
Memorable Holes From The Old White
Number 1, Par 4 449 Yard, ‘ First’
Known simply as ‘first’ on the scorecard, the first hole is one of the best on the course. The tee box sits perched up next to the clubhouse with a large drop down to the first fairway. It's an opening tee shot where you will likely have an audience with resort guest able to walk directly behind the tee box. Playing over 440 yards from the back tee boxes your opening tee shot requires distance and precision. The hole dogs slightly right. Are your knees shaking yet on the tee box? I missed left but had good distance on my drive and was able hit a four iron just left of the green followed by a nice chip and one put. It was a good start to the day from a scoring standpoint, but I was really left with a great appreciation for what this course was going to offer just as our round was getting going.
The opening tee shot at The Old White course is one of the great views on an outstanding course
Number 3 Par 3, 207 Yards ‘Biarittz’
Following a moderate par four the third hole is one unique par three. You cannot tell from the tee box, but the green consists of effectively three tiers with a middle valley, known only as ‘The Valley of Sin’. We had no clue the valley was even there until we got up to the green. The pin was set down in the valley and was one of the more memorable greens I have ever played. I had a chip shot to try to get down in the valley but left it just short on the top tier, you have to smile and just enjoy the hole design at that point.
The view from the third tee box provides no perspective of what is to come.
Seen from the fourth tee, the third green know as ‘The Valley of Sin’ and rightfully so.
Number 5 Par 4, 330 Yards ‘Mounds’
Number five is a a short straight forward par four. After a well placed tee shot, it leads to an enjoyable approach shot over a small creek where the hole lives to its name with several surrounding mounds. This hole won’t get the publicity for the course, but it’s well designed and the mounds and small creek in front of the green give this hole character.
The approach shot on five give this hole memorable character as the golfer is required to carry a small creek and work around small mounds surrounding the green
Number 14 Par 4, 344 Yard ‘ Narrows’
Narrows is a great hole name for this par four. Bunkers line both sides of the fairway. A well positioned tee should leave the golfer with a short iron or wedge. Some players may play this hole aggressively up the left side attempting to avert the bunkers and take length off the hole by landing a drive somewhere in the left rough, but given the moderate distance of this part four a wood or long iron can take some risk out of the hole and still put you in good position to reach the green in two.
The fairway is the safe play on 14, but the left rough does bring some risk/reward into play for the golfer.
Number 18 Par 3, 144 Yards ‘Home’
The back nine closes with a memorable par 3 . It’s a moderate length hole requiring a short iron for most players. The green is surrounded by bunkers on either side. If you leave one short it will roll down the false front of the green. Closing views with the clubhouse in the background of your tee shot along with the Allegheny Mountains are the perfect finish to The Old White. The green is a tricky one with a horse shoe shaped and lots of options for nervy two puts.
The closing par 3 at The Old White Course is a memorable hole that gives a lot for the golfer to think about on each shot with surrounding bunkers and green complexity